This AP article by Peter Svensson strikes me as potentially very significant.The digital divide has always referred to the imbalances between those with access to information technology and those without.Now we see the term applied to imbalances within relatively tech-savvy populations caused by next-generation broadband.

The article quotes Dave Burstein, editor of the DSL Prime newsletter saying: “a quarter of the U.S. is going to get one of the best networks in the world.”The rest of us have to make do with DSL and cable – the horror.

But actually I think there’s something to this; in fact, I think the issue is deeper and more problematic.It’s very easy to think that everyone is embracing the latest thingamawhatsit but most people have, if not better, then at least more important things to do.

If we are about to be divided by connectivity speed then there’s every reason to believe that we will also be divided by either our ability to use, or our affinity for, social networking, blogging, twittering, current Web 2.0 applications and future applications enabled by the semantic Web.

If the pace of technological change is creating digital subdivisions – and I think it is – it’s going to create communication and marketing challenges for certain, but will also lead to real societal and cultural divisions that have the potential to be as profound as any that have come before.

I may be wrong as to the degree, but there’s no question in my mind that ‘digital divide 2.0’ is coming.What does everyone else think?